Gradlife

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By Samara Moore, Gradlife Ambassador

Indulge me, if you will? Think ahead to the end of your graduate school journey. You have assembled with your colleagues at convocation hall to celebrate earning your Masters or PhD degree. When graduate school is over, what are the things that you hope to gain from the experience besides the degree itself? How do you plan to take advantage of the unique opportunity that you have to dedicate to nurturing your personal, professional, and academic development?

Perhaps you have put a lot of thought into the questions that I mentioned and feel quite connected to the resources on campus. Maybe you haven’t yet thought about those things or feel like you don’t know where to start. Perhaps you have so many commitments and responsibilities in your personal life, that the thought of dedicating time to nurture anything else feels unrealistic. Wherever you find yourself regarding this issue, we at Gradlife are here to help you get the most out of your graduate school experience.

We invite and encourage you to join us for a week of fantastic graduate specific events. Gradlife and the School of Graduate Studies have organized Graduate Student Experience Week, running from March 4^th to 9^th. What can you expect from Graduate Experience Week?

Daily Coffee Talks

• “Come to the SGS Graduate Student Lounge for free coffee and refreshments and an informal talk about a range of topics.”
• When & Where: 9:30-11 am in the SGS Graduate Student Lounge, 63 St. George Street
  • Monday, March 4^th: Staying Well: Resources for Grad Students” with Lorie Atkinson, SGS Wellness Counsellor
  • Tuesday, March 5th: Finances & Funding” with Alice Brummell, Coordinator, Student Support & Financial Aid, SGS
  • Wednesday, March 6^th: How Can SGS Academic Services Help You? Victoria Hurlihey, Manager, Front-line Student Academic Services, SGS
  • Thursday, March 7^th: Services & Supports for International Grad Students, Yaseen Ali, Transition Advisor, CIE
  • Friday, March 8^th: Learning the Art of Academic Communication Rachael Cayley, Acting Director, GCAC
• Register

Facebook Live Chat with G2G Peer Advisor, Grad Conflict Resolution Centre

• “Hear about hidden gems on the St George campus, just for graduate students.”
• When & where: Monday, March 4^th, 2-3pm at https://www.facebook.com/events/394533547778345/

SGS presents: 3MT workshop with previous UofT winner, Cristina D’Amico

• “Are your preparing to complete in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition?  Would you like to get some pointers from a previous winner? Join Cristina D’Amico for a workshop on “How to Present Your Research in Three Minutes.”
• When & Where: Tuesday, March 5^th, 1-2:30pm, at the Grad Room, 66 Harbord Street
• Register

Panel Evening: Graduate Student Conversations & Connections

• Strategies for Graduate Success and Beyond
• “Learn tips on how to make the most of your time as a grad student and beyond. Hear about the importance of career planning early led by a career expert followed by a graduate student panel. Panelists will share strategies about how they have navigated graduate school challenges including imposter syndrome and being on the verge of quitting, to managing conflict, accessing resources and getting involved. Connect with your graduate peers and enjoy some refreshments. Space limited.”
• When & where: Thursday, March 7^th, 6-8:30pm, the Hart House Music Room
• For program schedule & to register

Graduate Connections: Maintaining a Healthy Well-Being

• “Take a break and connect with other grad students at our new bi-weekly chat forum. Share your experiences in an informal setting, talk about your challenges and life as a graduate student. An expert staff facilitator will be available to answer questions related to each week’s theme. This is a free event! Space is limited to 25.”
  Tea and Cookies will be available.
• When & where: Friday, March 8^th, 2-3:30pm at SGS Graduate Student Lounge, 63 St. George Street
• Register

Grad Escape: Improv at Second City

• “Join other graduate students and get a taste of what The Second City is all about! Learn how to think on your feet, be in the moment and say YES to everyone’s ideas all through fun games and exercises at this introductory improv class!”
• When & Where: Friday, March 8^th, 6-8pm at Second City, 99 Blue Jays Way
• Register

Leadership for Grads: Identifying your Transferable skills and Self-worth in Grad School

• “Join us to be a part of the conversation about Grad Life at U of T and connect with other members of the Grad community to share your experiences and hear about others’. We will be discussing how to articulate skill-building outside of the classroom and exploring what you’ve gained as a Grad student. Faciliated by Peer Leadership Facilitators, Leadership for Grads team. Free lunch and coffee will be provided to full-day participants!”
• When & where: Saturday, March 9^th, 10am-3pm, 21 Sussex Ave, room 321

In the time that I have been a graduate student at U of T, my involvement with Gradlife has allowed me to connect with the graduate student community outside of my faculty. Attending graduate student specific events have helped me to get a better understanding of the resources that are available to me, as I continue to map out my own journey at U of T.

I hope that you will join us for a week of incredible events intended to support, equip and connect us as we carve out our own unique paths as graduate students. I will be speaking at the Panel Evening event for professional-stream graduate students. If you will be attending this event, I would love to meet you! Everyday brings with it a new opportunity to shape the trajectory of our graduate school experience. Will you be joining us next week?

Signing off,

Samara Moore

“Be passionate and move forward with gusto every single hour of every single day until you reach your goal.”

-Ava DuVernay 

Ps. My tenure as your Gradlife Ambassador has ended. It has been a pleasure to be able to to connect with a number of you at our events and through this blog!